I loved my time in the Lake Houston YSA Branch! I love the leaders, the members, the investigators, the recent converts, and my companions! We had a lot of success! This is the first area where I really feel and see that it is better than when I got here.

I'll miss Elder Ericson! He's a great missionary and a great leader!

We had a surprise baptism this week. David was on date for next week but he was prepared so we baptized him this week. So many people came to the baptism! The Sprit was so strong and we had two other investigators attend. One was David's sister who graduated high school on Saturday so she's eligible to come to the YSA now! Miracles on miracles on miracles on miracles!

I am getting transferred today. I'll let you know where I go as soon as possible. But until then just send stuff to the mission office.

I love being a missionary!

I love y'all! But I love our Savior more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

Somehow we had an awesome week! Colleges are closed, so we don't really have a way to go personal contacting (and find YSA's) but we still were able to teach a lot. We now have 4 people who are preparing to be baptized and each one has a date for each of the 4 weekends in June.

June 5 is David. He was a referral from the Humble Sister Missionaries. They had been teaching him for about 5 months but he wasn't really progressing, so they handed him over to us and the YSA branch. And now he stopped smoking, came to church, and is on date to be baptized! We love miracles!

June 11 is another David. He is the friend of Jacob, a member in the YSA. David is awesome! He's been prepared throughout life experiences and having Jacob as a friend. Jacob has a mission call to go to Barcelona Spain and he'll get to baptize David about a month before he leaves.

June 19 is Chris. He's a referral from missionaries a little south of us. They found him as he was walking down the street and just stopped and talked to him. He reminds us of Michael Oher from Blindside. He's very humble and so ready and willing to come unto Christ.

June 26 is Giovanni. He's the referral of a member who recently got home from BYU. Giovanni is very open and willing to listen too. We had a lesson last night and at the end we asked if he had any more questions or comments or concerns and he said, "no, but I just want to sit and talk with you. I love being around the missionaries." Also very humble and it's awesome because he chooses to be humble, it's not forced upon him because of life circumstances.

I love being a missionary and I love this area!

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

This has been a good, and very busy week! Monday we got to go on exchanges with one of the AP’s (Assistants to the President), Elder Bond. On the exchange, we talked a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite things mentioned that the Atonement is the WHY behind everything we do, but that so many people don't know about it or don't understand it, and that the greatest blessing we get as missionaries is to see people learn and apply the Atonement in their life.

Then on Wednesday we went on another exchange with another companionship in our zone. I went with an Elder who had been in Louisiana the same time I was. He’s been struggling a bit. We had a good exchange though. He's a great teacher, and being a little older than the rest of us, he has so much life experience with great stories. At the end of that day, the Spirit reminded me of something this Elder had told me on the first exchange we went on back in Jennings. So I said, "Elder, I remember on our first exchange you said, 'I'm not the best teacher and I don't know a lot about doctrine and such things, but I grew up on a farm and played rugby in college so I know how to work hard. I'm definitely not the most skilled missionary, but I've come here to work hard, so I'll work hard.'"

And he replied, "You still remember that?"

"Yes, it impressed me a lot. And Elder Keech (his current companion), is just about the best missionary in the mission to be companions with if you want to work hard." The Spirit is such a good teacher, edifier, comforter, and reminder-er.

Then Friday we had another exchange. I went with the Spanish Elders in Liberty. Something that really stuck out to me was how much their investigators respected and loved them. I don't know if that's just Hispanic culture, but I think it comes from how those Elders treat their investigators. They are so respectful and loving while still being bold and having a sense of urgency about the work. I learned more on that one than they could ever teach me.

I love being a missionary!

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be!

It was a good week. I think right before the times I get to call home, I start thinking I miss my family, but by the time the phone call is done I think, "I love being a missionary!"

We have an investigator named David, he's decided he wants to be baptized on June 11! We're so excited for him. The person who introduced him into the church got his mission call to Barcelona, Spain. So it's really cool how he will get to baptize his best friend a month before he leaves on his mission.

Sorry it's short.

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.

First, we've recently been struggling on making sure people are really progressing and missionaries are really doing what they're supposed to, while still focusing on the individual people we have stewardship of. Essentially, focusing on the people instead of the numbers, while still understanding that we need to work hard to become better. So Elder Ericson made a phrase. "Who many?" Jesus Chirst loved and loves the people, each and everyone one, but He also wants to bring as many people as He can to heaven. So now instead of asking "How many lessons did you teach?" or "How many investigators did you have at church?" or "Who are you working with?" We ask "Who many lessons did you teach this week?" and instead of giving us a number they list the names of the people they taught! We love it!

We got to go to the temple on Wednesday. It was a beautiful day, but all the flowers were pulled up and they were in the process of planting new ones because the grounds got flooded last week. Actually, cool miracle about that, the flood water got 8 feet from the temple door and when they built it one of the engineers said that they need to raise the ground level 8 feet and they didn't want to do it but he said they need to raise it to unbelievable flood heights. The Lord takes care of His house.

I love y'all. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.